PNC to Commemorate Veterans Day 2014

PNCPurdue University North Central will host its annual Veterans Day program on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. in the Library-Student-Faculty Building Assembly Hall, Room 02. The event will honor all veterans, with special attention paid to PNC students, faculty and staff who are veterans. The public is invited to attend.

Refreshments will be served immediately following in the Library-Student-Faculty Building, Room 144.

The guest speaker will be Johnny “Joey” Jones During his eight-year career as a United States Marine serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, Jones’ work included the destruction of more than 85 Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s) and thousands of pounds of other unknown types of bulk explosives. In August 2010, while in Afghanistan, Jones was severely injured and lost his legs above the knee when an IED detonated leaving him with two years of recovery at Walter Reed Medical Center.

During his recovery, Jones developed a Peer Visit Program, providing an opportunity for others recovering from life-changing injuries to mentor and encourage newly injured patients. This led to a year-long Capitol Hill fellowship with the House Veteran’s Affairs Committee and his completion of a Georgetown University degree. During this time Joey became a supporter of the Boot Campaign, a nonprofit organization dedicated to cultivating awareness, promoting patriotism and providing assistance to military personnel, past and present and their families.

The program will include the presentation of the colors by the Rolling Prairie VFW; the singing of the “Star Spangled Banner” by student Nanda Danitschek; welcoming remarks by PNC Veterans Coordinator Jason Wray, former Army sergeant; comments by PNC Chancellor Dr. James B. Dworkin and closing comments by PNC Veterans Organization President Emily Wyatt, former Navy MMN3.

The winners of the Veterans Organization Scholarships will have their winning essays addressing the topic of “What Veteran’s Day Means to Me” read.

As part of the ceremony, names of current or deceased veterans submitted by PNC students, faculty and staff will be read by Tony Sindone, PNC continuing lecturer of Economics and former Air Force tech sergeant; Mark Smith, chair, Department of Computer & Information Technology and former Army specialist and Jim Stemmler, La Porte Veterans Foreign War Post 1130 member and former Army corporal.

PNC student Brad Hill will perform “Amazing Grace” on the cello to close the event.

Donations of toiletries and non-perishable food will be accepted at the door to be given to charities serving homeless veterans. Boxes will be placed throughout campus to collect items during Veterans Day week.

Further information about the event may be obtained by contacting Mary Spiess, administrative assistant to the vice chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Services at 219-785-5237. Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Spiess.